a few statistics …

Approximately 1 in 5 of all adults in the UK suffer from mental health issues. 

31%

Only 31% of individuals in the UK with a mental health problem are in treatment. 

6th

In a 2017 report - Depression and other common mental disorders - the WHO says that anxiety disorders are the sixth largest contributor to non-fatal health loss globally, and they are in the top 10 causes of YLD (years lost to disability) in all WHO regions. 

750,000

It is estimated that 750,000 people are thought to be living with severe, life impacting and debilitating OCD in the UK. 

The percentage of the UK population reporting common mental disorders are as follows.

  • General anxiety disorder 5.9% (4.4%)

  • Depressive episode 3.3% (2.3%)

  • Phobias 2.4% (1.4%)

  • OCD 1.3% (1.1%)

  • Panic disorder 0.6% (1.1%)

  • Other / not specified 7.8% (9.0%) 

2007 figures in parentheses

Source: House of Commons briefing paper, April 2018

When people do get treatment, the average time they have suffered from their disorder is 16 years for social anxiety disorder, 9 years for generalised anxiety disorder, and 8 years for depression.